Iron Wolf
Iron Wolf (Latvian: Dzelzs Vilks; Estonian: Raudahunt; Lithuanian: Geležinis Vilkas;) is a light tank composing the bulk of Baltic Union armored forces. Background Iron Wolf is a continuation in the development of the discarded Polish prototype Anders tank. With the Western MBTs being too heavy and too costly for the local circumstances, the Baltic States looked towards alternative designs elsewhere. One of the alternatives examined was the Polish prototype Anders tank, which never entered mass production. However, the Baltic States jointly purchased a manufacturing license of the rejected model towards the end of 2040's, adding their own natively-developed improvements to it. By the time of the Great War, the Baltic nations were already extensively equipped with Anders tanks, the licensed production model being named "Iron Wolf". Shortly before the Great War, some examples were upgraded with Western-produced railguns to replace their conventional 120 mm main guns. After the Great War, surviving examples were put into use by the nascent Baltic Union and eventually replicated, forming a sizable mainstay armored force. Later upgrades would see Iron Wolf's original power plant and main gun replaced with a Western-made power core and railgun. The design was likewise up-armored and fitted with the latest active defense systems to survive on modern battlefields. Overview Despite lacking the armor protection or the staying power of contemporary MBTs such as the ON Shlachtross or Mecharussian T-100/IS-51. Iron Wolf is still a threat to be reckoned with. Highly-mobile and capable of traversing areas where heavier tanks cannot, it is ideally suited for ambushes and hit & run tactics commonly pracitced by Baltic Union troops. It's optional guided missile armament makes it even more formidable for it's weight class. Although not amphibious in itself, the Iron Wolf is easily fitted with an amphibious module, enabling it to cross rivers and lakes with ease. The modern incarnations of Iron Wolf have forfeited the use of a 120 mm main gun in favour of a 105 mm DSLMR (railgun). The added diversity in potential munitions, however, has kept the 120 mm model in use along with its more effective 105 mm cousin. Both types of ammunition are used and manufactured by Baltic Union at present. The Iron Wolf's active protection system protects it from most AT weapons fire by disabling incoming missiles in flight, and by defeating their armor-piercing capabilities in case the latter has been insufficient. While not able to engage heavier tanks one-on-one, the Iron Wolf has nonetheless proven quite an annoyance to the invading Mecharussian forces in what has become known as the Third Liberation War. When in ambush, it has proven just as dangerous to the regular Mekh forces as any Western MBT, oftentimes even more because of its ease of concealment. Trivia Iron Wolf tank is named after a character of Lithuanian mythology, the symbol of Vilnius Castle as seen in a dream by Grand Duke Gediminas. The majority of Baltic Union's armored power is manned by Lithuanian ''Geležinis Vilkas ''Armored Brigade. However, virtually every other Baltic brigade has at least a company's worth of armored assets, predominantly equipped with Iron Wolf tanks. Iron Wolf is quite obviously based on the Polish prototype Anders light tank.